Legendary Italian Keyboard: Crumar Seven (Super In-Depth Review) 

My new channel "Milan Recording Studios" ru-vid.com/show-UCu1LrpmWwK1ztTvIayRar9w

The ropeless legcase, the hardcase that doesn't meet ATA regulations and has a loose screw and cover, the bright brothel-red LED Seven, the sheer ease of use, the huge metal drinks platform, the glovebox in the right... God that thing is so Italian. I want one.

I can’t believe you got a crumar seven! Siiiick. Nobody really has done a good review of this while I was checking it out, so super smart choice to review! Keep up the amazing work!

Nice! I've had mine for 2 years and love it. Just a note, although the stock piano isnt anything special, there is a wonderful piano replacement offered as a free update from their site. Also, you can modify the sounds such as the reeds via the web editor using the C7's wifi connection! I have a Korg ARP Odyssey desktop module and a Waldorf Streichfett string synth box sitting on top of mine, both of which I play via midi using the Crumar. Examples on my channel. Great in depth review!

crumar seven is probably the most beautiful instrument i've ever seen. (personal opinion pls no hate)

Hi James, love your channel and great review. I have the Crumar Seven, and with the most recent updates, the grand piano is now at the level of the Rhodes and the Wurlitzer. Both the Steinway and the Petrof give the feeling of a miked piano on stage rather than the sound produced by bouncing off the walls of a room, which is a plus if you try to cut through a mix. I guess you would now consider it “exceptional”! Hope you can test them if you haven’t already.

I didn't even know Crumar was still in business. After selling my Crumar Orchestrator some 30 years ago, I never heard about them again. Good to know they are still alive and producing new instruments.

The jiggle of the keys is what makes a Rhodes

Amazing. One vote for the in depth comparison of a real Rhodes 😁

GSi Gemini: Bi-Timbral, 4 Organ engines, String Machine, Orchestra, Trumpet and Virtual Analog Synth engines, Digital Output, two legacy Midi inputs, various effects like Chorus, Spring Reverb, Stereo Limiter, Rotary sim. All effects can be used at once (in serial). Crumar Seven: Better Wi-Fi, Grand Piano and Vibes engine, an upgraded E.Grand engine, 1/4" expression pedal input and pedal Wha-Wha, Synth Pad Both have the essential Tine, Reed, Clavi, DX7, Sample Player engines (also USB-Midi Type A and B). Basically the Seven is a Gemini inside a plywood box with with a few upgrades and downgrades. The Gator GKPE76D TSA Keyboard Case fit my Seven quite nicely. You can probably put a heavy keyboard on top of it without fear of damaging the top, but you might damage the wooden and metal pieces that hold the top in place, so good call there. Wouldn't recommend that. But I would recommend the Seven, though I hate the action. I also recommend the Faderfox PC12 if you don't go the Ipad/Laptop Editor route. Every parameter can be mapped to Midi Control Change values that you can edit real-time. No tricky sysex mumbo jumbo. The Seven can power the Faderfox via USB, simultaneously receiving Midi. A word on that Grand Piano. The Venice Grand samples can be loaded to any of the Seven's "yellow" preset slots as a custom "wavetable". Still not the best, but at least the Seven is now capable of a good Grand Piano sound. Most players go straight for the Venice sample, but I haven't seen anyone try to tweak the G.Piano engine to get a better piano sound. I ought to make a video on this...

What a curious instrument, looking forward for your next video!

Great review! I own a Seven and do love playing it :)

If you have a compressor plugin or a compressor pedal that has a lot of attack, it gives a really nice quack/pop to the front of the Crumar clavinet sound & makes it sound exactly like the real thing to my ears.

Crumar and Viscount do amazing stuff.

I was literally researching this keyboard yesterday and you uploaded a video about it today!

Love these reviews and your enthusiasm for what you do. I don't know too much about the Fender Rhodes but I do have 2x12s from a Rhodes 4x12 cabinet - 1967 Oxfords, great condition and sound wonderful.

I think the EQ instructions are on the second instructions sheet. 😄

Wonderful instrument ! I can see it as more of a recording studio instrument.

Make sure you download the app and update the piano sounds, I think you’ll be impressed

Just FYI... if you turn those knobs a little more slowly, it takes only 6 turns to cover the entire range.

That instrument sounds amazing!!! Thanks. I’m a guitarist and i love your videos...got hooked when i saw you demo some different fender rhodes a while back...which i think is the most underrated under utilized instrument around. Thanks for your passion...it’s inspiring. Bruce in vancouver

Did you try updating the piano sound? Supposedly it makes a huge difference - would love to hear your thoughts!

So that’s indeed a super-in-depth review. I heard about the crumar but never had a chance to play it so this was a nice surprise for me. Sounds really good if you leave out the grand piano. It’s a pity that the EQ not really did something. Supposed to do anything I think at least you have to noticed something. But it was again nice to see, and hear, you fiddling around and really enjoy it. I enjoyed it certainly so, thank you for sharing and playing.

I hope they gave you this keyboard after you made this incredibly detailed review that will obviously be seen by EVERY potential buyer lol.

Very nice in-depth video James! Owning a Fender Rhodes Mark I 73 I can say that the Crumar Seven is one of the closest I've heard. However, owning 2 Wurlitzers EPs, a 200A and a 214V, I do agree with you that the Crumar leaves a little bit to be desired. In fact, I can not point to a single instrument that gives me the satisfaction of my Wurlitzers. So much so that I insisted that I carry my 200A to every gig. Overall, I am impressed with the Crumar Seven and would recommend it to anyone.

So I ended up purchasing the Korg D1 for myself. Wonderful addition. A simple and inexpensive stage piano. My previous board was/is the Alesia QS8.1, original owner from 1998. Can’t wait until you review it.

It looks like a vintage Rhodes that was created for an episode of Star Trek. This Keyboard is definitely for a very specific market. I know I would be more than willing to live with whatever Yamaha puts into my digital piano for a vintage or Rhodes sound. I'm not too picky, just sound respectable.

you should do an in depth vid on the Crumar Mojo!

Please make a review of the Mojo 61. It would be awesome!

All the sounds are based on physical modeling but you can also download a sampled acoustic piano for the Crumar Seven.

It seems that the Waldorf Zarenbourg has gone out of production. At least that is what the retail stores seem to suggest. Pity ... still like to hear your opinion about it :)

One of the great things about the seven is that its flat on top!!!

Theres an almost untouched crumar seven for sale near me and i’ve played it quite much in a music store and the key action is very good feeling to me personally and it sounds awesome but is it worth the money?I also love the look and everything but i wonder if its reliable or have you had any difficulties with it?

"The P515 can be found in practically every store" Ouch. I've been looking for a month and it's been sold out everywhere. Covid hurts, man. I hate my Williams

Hi James, interested in knowing how your Keybed is doing, have you experienced any issues with broken or sagged keys? Thank you, love your content.

Thanks for also playing the kind of music, the clavinet was originally meant for! :D You can really hear how it was meant as an electric clavichord.

Awesome keyboard but same exact thing happened to me. The legs were loose when I first opened the box and they had been in direct contact with the keybed. The plastic ties they used must have cut during transport and cause the leg case to drop. Also the little silver pieces from the handle fell off too. Not broke, just loose fitting. Hard to believe such a beautiful instrument that is very high quality would have these issues. Good thing its amazing otherwise!

The Crumar keyboards are like professional Yamaha Refaces

ZZ-Top said it well: "She's got legs, she knows how to use them" guess it is to keep the center of gravity low

Hi, maybe the eq works just with the amp simulation on. If not... it seems your unit has a problem or they missed the point.

It would be great to see the Waldorf Zarenbourg. That Crumar is a nice looking board for sure. Would be nice to be able to load in another piano sound.....

Your review almost has me sold on the Crumar Seven, I'm a little concerned about the negatives you pointed out, but - not every digital piano in this price even includes a sustain pedal or a protective case at all! so the issues with this are relatively insignificant. Your comments/demonstration of the EQ made me wonder if the EQ is completely subtractive, meaning it can only cut, not boost, the respective frequency ranges, and all the way to the red side is simply "neutral"?

Thx for your Video Work! What do you think about the Viscount Legend 70? Thx Tom

The Crumar Seven looks like you gave RGB LEDs to a 70's designer and in my opinion that makes it look hilariously hideous. But I had a chance to play it once and I'd lie if I didn't say that it sounds and feels absolutely amazing!

Crumar is like the Behringer of Electric Pianos. Designed for people that can't afford to spend 6k on a Fender Rhodes, or 2k on a Fender Rhodes with seven or eight non-working keys. The guitar equivalent is someone that wants a 1957 Stratocaster but ends up buying a custom shop reissue. I watched the Wurlitzer 200 video, about twenty times, and given the choice I wonder if JPS would pick the 200 or the Crumar. The Wurlitzer video is really pushing me to that over a Fender Rhodes. Can't find either one for sale locally though.

looks super cool but the amount you have to turn these knobs would drive me insane

I am listening.

Great rendition of JS Bach's WTK I C Major fugue thrown in just like that. Dude actually knows to play the piano.

I need one of those!!!

The hidden compartment to the right of the unit, not many people know this but.....you can put your weed in there. 👌

where can i sign the petition for the korg d1 review?

Dear james, Have you planed to compare it with the VISCOUNT Legend ´70S piano that seems to be an alternative in this niche ? As you said in this video the Acoustic Grand piano’s sound seems to be a weakness of the Crumar seven, Would you test for us the updated version of the Venise Grand and Venise Grand Open that have been released by Crumar ? www.crumar.it/?a=support&b=36 Many thanx

36:19 I genuinely had to pause the video and wait until I stopped laughing. Good title!

buddy bars truly are delicious.

Do you think the mojo 61 would be to heavy to put on top of the crumar?

haha this guy looks happy with his unboxing

I love the shape and hate the color scheme. Knobs representing levels with color is cool, but not on a vintage black and white body. The 2 styles clash too hard, it looks like a rainbow. I feel like if the knobs were like an old Rhodes' you'd be able to read them more easily, since you'd know where the knob stands between minimum and maximum. Instead it's a color spectrum, which you need to get used to and learn. Edit: also, it's a modeled instrument. Why not extend the range by those 3 or so semitones? Its basically a synth.

God this is such a fantastic keyboard. Why am I not a rich man!

Does anyone know what Fatar keybed it is? Is it TP/100LR?

Reminds me of the Yamaha CS-synth series cases and legs too. Lost my CS-50 legs and took hundreds off value. I am never selling it though.

Did JPS just reference Doug DeMuro?

Thanks for the interesing review. The instrument seems to be very similiar to the Waldorf Zarenbourg. (I own the limited black edition and love it.) Would be great if you could do a review on that, too! www.muziker.at/waldorf-zarenbourg-black-limited-edition Edit: I just saw you mentioned the Zarebourg at the end of the video. Of course you already know about it! :D

Did you play Minecraft soundtrack on electric grand?

Did you know when you go back to the 70s you're supposed to make some funny noise and go all wobbly with a video effect that's OK next time

So after 123 comments nobody said Minecraft :) 53:15

But is this instrument mechanical, like hammers and tines?

Some keyboards/pianos are protected so well that they could probably be dropped from a low balcony and survive with no damage to the instrument itself.

56:00 is this pokemon 😆

1:02:58 Roland MKS 20/RD1000 piano

Hi James, I know you have had quite a bit of experience with pianos and wanted to email you, but could not find any contact details. Could you direct me to a way to get in contact? thanks so much. Greetings from Girona Spain, Jeremy

🤣“Buddy bar”🤣

1:21 hrs Review! Here we goooo!

I am the comment seven :)

1:02:58 Minecraft

You need to play Bronco sorry, wrong Crumar

Try a korg keyboard.